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The residents of Bojanala Platinum District Municipality in North West told the Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and Energy that there is a need for extensive public awareness and education about the objectives of the Electricity Amendment Bill and its possible impact on the public. 

During public hearings conducted by the committee on the Bill yesterday at JM Ntsime High School Hall in Mogwase, residents told the committee that there is a lot about the Bill and its intentions, such as the planned unbundling of Eskom, that the public does not know about. 

Although a majority of participants supported the Bill,saying reforms in the electricity sector are long overdue, they emphasised the need for active citizenry on the Bill in order to make informed contributions.

Committee Chairperson Mr Sahlulele Luzipo commendedt he residents for their inputs, saying they enriched the lawmaking process. “All your views are valuable and important for this process; this process is important and also a constitutional obligation for Parliament to ensure that citizens participate in the legislative processes,” said the Chairperson. 

The committee yesterday concluded the North West leg of the nationwide public hearings on the Bill. North West was the third province to host public hearings on the Electricity Regulation Bill after Limpopo and North West. 

The committee expects to finalise the public consultation process by early December before tabling its report for debate in the National Assembly. Citizens who missed on the opportunity to make oral submissions during public hearings or who need more time to study the Bill, could still submit their comments their written submissions to the committee: aboss@parliament.gov.za or akotze@parliament.gov.za. 

The Bill aims to effect changes to the Electricity Regulation Act in order to provide for additional electricity generation capacity and infrastructure, as well as the establishment of the Transmission System Operator SOC Ltd.

The draft legislation also seeks an open market platform that will allow for competitive electricity trading; and to assign the duties, powers and functions of the Transmission System Operator SOC Ltd to the National Transmission Company South Africa SOC Ltd.

Issued by the Parliamentary Communication Services on behalf of the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and Energy, Sahlulele Luzipo